I just emailed a local councilman about a law he proposed that I felt was unfair. 20 mins later he responded. 20 mins after that I responded. We were having a conversation, in quasi real time. My voice was being heard. His voice was being heard. Did we agree? No, but that’s beside the point. I applaud this councilman for using technology to talk with the people he represents.
But that is just an isolated event. One personal response out of the hundreds of emails that I have sent to government officials (yes I’m one of those who actually writes my government officials). Today we live in a world where millions of people can vote fairly and accurately for who they thought the best singer was on a TV show. All via their cell phone. We live in a world where I can post a message on a website and minutes later have someone read that comment on live TV. We live in a world were about 100 people will visit a website just to see what I have to say (that means you reading my website). You have left comments on my site, you tell me what you are thinking, where you agree, where you disagree. I make realtime adjustments to my website based on what you, the reader, wants, because I’m here for you! (visualize Uncle Sam pointing at you).
Why then, can’t our government figure this out? If you look at it we have a system of government that is approx 2000 years old (think Roman government here people, stick with me). In the time when a representative government was formed, people chose figures to be present for them and to speak for them when they couldn’t. Their means of communication dictated that they had to have someone there to speak for them. For thousands of years this worked in an ideal fashion in most cases. Until now.
Today we still have the same 2000 year old form of government, but something has changed. Communication. With this 2000 year old government we are still using 2000 year old communication. We rely on our elected officials to speak for us, but today it’s not out of necessity, it’s out of convenience. We just elect someone who thinks the way we think and then turn them lose on Washington to do as they please because we think they will respond in a manner in which we think we would respond. Where has this gotten us? Well just ask any John Doe what they think of the current government and you will have your answer.
Because we are too lazy to take an active role in our government we are in the situation we are in where people feel like the government has lost touch with the people.
Imagine this. Once a week you log onto a website. On that website is a list of items to vote on. There’s a section of the site for debate. Open debate, and expert analysis. You can add your own comments and then read what experts in that field believe on both sides. You make your choice and vote. The next issue comes up. You repeat the same process. In an hours time you have researched and voted on a number of different bills. You have just taken part in your government. Your voice has been heard. Your voice, not someone you hope will vote the way you want them to. And it took one hour out of your week. Probably the same hour you would have spent watching wannabe rock stars be berated by music industry has-bens.
Is this over simplifed? You betchya. Is it feasable? Absolutely! Will some professional politictian have the guts to make it happen? Only time will tell. Most politicitans will see it as a threat. That reason alone is enough to make you think change is needed.
